Washington Toasts ‘Les Maisons De Champagne’ At 12th Annual Bubbly Bash!

NORTHWEST -- With warmly-lit lanterns lining its curved driveway, the Embassy of France’s La Maison Française sprung to life on Saturday evening for the 12th anniversary of the District’s annual Champagne Gala.

A black tie-optional bash, the event invited the city’s well-heeled (tickets ran $250 with $190 of that tax deductable) to temporarily step foot on French soil for a tasting of more than a dozen of France’s most luxurious “maisons de champagne”.

Perrier-Jouët, Gosset Champagne, Champagne Henriot, Champagne Lanson, Louis Roderer, Moët & Chandon, Nicolas Feuillatte, Pol Roger, Pommery, Heidsieck, Taittinger, Ruinart. They were all available by the pour.

Between sips, guests were free to sample complementary savory and sweet fare (e.g., plates of crispy braised pork belly, lentil velouté with foie gras, braised short ribs, gourmet pastries, etc.) from many of D.C.’s favorite eateries, including Ici Urban Bistro at the Sofitel Lafayette Square, Zentan, Café Dupont, and Patisserie Poupon.

With the abundance of such gourmet food and drink, it didn’t take much prompting to get attendees to burn-off some of the calories consumed on the spacious ballroom dance floor, as they enjoyed the award-winning sounds of the Bob Hardwick Orchestra (People referred to the group as "the orchestra of princes and presidents”).

Proceeds from this year’s Champagne Gala will be used to support the programs of the French-American Cultural Foundation, a U.S. 501(c)(3) non-profit collaborator of La Maison Française.

À votre santé!